Damon Mcknight
The idea of a Disney theme park in Australia has been floated for years, with Melbourne and Sydney being the most popular choices. However, there has been no official confirmation from Disney. Some argue that Australia would be a good location for a Disney park as it would give Australian residents a chance to visit Disneyland without having to spend a fortune travelling to another country. However, others believe that Disney is unlikely to build a park in Australia because the country is so large that anyone visiting a major city might not be close enough to visit, and there are fewer potential customers compared to other locations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Disney's closest location to Australia | Hong Kong Disneyland |
| Travel time from Melbourne to the closest location | 9-hour flight |
| Travel time from Melbourne to the original Disneyland | 14-hour flight |
| Pros | Locals would not have to spend a lot of money to fly to another country to visit a Disney park |
| Melbourne has world-class hotels, retail offerings, and food and drink options | |
| Victoria does not have many theme parks | |
| Disney parks draw about 50,000 visitors per day | |
| There is a demand for a Disney park in Australia | |
| Cons | Australia is too far away for international tourists |
| Australia does not have a large consumer base to support a park | |
| The country is large and spread out, so locals might not visit a park in another city | |
| Disney's current focus is on making money, and they are heavily investing in Asia | |
| Disney already has many locations that they need to keep running and update with new attractions | |
| Australia is a standalone "island", limiting the number of customers to less than 30 million |
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What You'll Learn
Melbourne as the ideal location
Melbourne is the ideal location for Disney Australia, and there are several reasons why. Firstly, Melbourne has the necessary space for a Disney theme park. There are large underused plots in the Docklands area near the Yarra River, close to the CBD, similar to the location of Tokyo Disneyland. This provides enough space for a normal-sized Disneyland, a resort, and even a second park.
Secondly, Melbourne's market is not oversaturated with theme parks like the Gold Coast's industry. While Melbourne has small family parks and water parks, it lacks a "proper" theme park. This means there is a gap in the market that a Disney theme park could fill, attracting visitors from Melbourne and beyond.
Additionally, Melbourne has been touted as Australia's "capital city of fun," and there is local support for a Disney theme park in the city. Local politicians and MPs have advocated for Melbourne as the best location, and residents would welcome the iconic theme park to the area.
Furthermore, a Disney theme park in Melbourne would provide an opportunity to incorporate local Australian elements into the design and attractions. For example, Critter Country Melbourne could feature Australian wildlife such as kangaroos, koalas, and platypuses instead of solely focusing on American critters. Aussie Street could serve as a grand entrance, capturing the essence of Australian towns and cities and providing a unique, immersive experience for visitors.
Lastly, Melbourne has been rumoured as a potential location for a long time, with Disney executives even scouting locations in Australia back in 2005. While there has been no official confirmation, the combination of local enthusiasm, suitable locations, and the potential for a unique Disney experience makes Melbourne the ideal choice for Disney Australia.
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Pros and cons of the Australian market
Pros
- Disney currently has no presence in the Southern Hemisphere, so a park in Australia would fill this gap in their global coverage.
- A Disney park in Australia would be more accessible to Australian residents, who currently have to travel overseas to visit a Disney park, often incurring significant travel costs.
- Melbourne, which has been suggested as a potential location for a Disney park, has large underused plots in the Docklands area, close to the CBD, that could accommodate a park and a resort.
- Victoria, where Melbourne is located, does not have many theme parks, so a Disney park could thrive there.
- The unique Australian landscape and culture could inspire new attractions and marketing campaigns, such as beach-themed Christmas decorations and celebrations of the King's Birthday as a national holiday.
Cons
- Australia is a large country, and even Australians typically fly from city to city, so a Disney park in one location may not be accessible to the whole country. For example, a park in Sydney would be a nine-hour distance from Melbourne.
- Australia's relatively small population of less than 30 million potential customers may not provide a large enough consumer base to support a park.
- The cost of labour and the challenging climate may make it difficult to find employees willing to work for minimum wage in a physically demanding job.
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Themed attractions and rides
The idea of a Disneyland in Australia has been floating around for some time now, with Melbourne being a popular choice for its location. Victoria doesn't have many theme parks, and with its large population and world-class tourism experience, it makes sense for a Disney park to be based there.
The attractions and rides in an Australian Disneyland would likely be themed around the country's unique landscape and culture. One suggestion is to have Uluru as a backdrop, with jungle cruises, treehouse attractions, and Aboriginal and English settler-themed rides. The seasons would also be flipped, so beach-themed Christmas decorations and merchandise could be a unique feature, alongside the traditional snowfalls after fireworks or parades.
Australia's national holiday, the King's Birthday, could also be a chance for the park to create royal-themed celebrations and merchandise. The park could also incorporate the growing trend of celebrating "Yuletide" in July, Australia's coldest month, with unique marketing campaigns, merchandise, and celebrations.
The large, underused plots in the Docklands of the Yarra River in Melbourne could provide enough space for a normal-sized Disneyland, a resort, and even a second park. The market doesn't seem oversaturated, and Melbourne has small family parks and water parks, but no "proper" theme parks.
However, some argue that Australia is too far away for international tourists and doesn't have the consumer base to support a park. The country is large, and the distance between major cities means that a Disney park in one city may not be accessible to those in another. Additionally, with existing parks in nearby countries like Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo, it may not be a viable option for Disney to expand to Australia.
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The impact on staff
One of the key considerations for Disney when deciding whether to build a theme park in Australia is the availability of a local talent pool. Australia has a relatively small population compared to other countries with Disney parks, and the talent pool for theme park operations may be limited, especially for specialized roles. This could result in Disney bringing in international staff with relevant experience, which may impact the availability of talent in other Disney parks and resorts around the world.
Additionally, the remote location of Australia and the potential challenges of attracting international visitors could make it difficult to retain staff. The distance between major cities and the park's potential location, as well as the lack of easy travel options within the country, could make it challenging for staff to commute or relocate. This could impact the park's ability to attract and retain local talent, especially if there are other employment opportunities closer to urban centers.
However, the establishment of a Disney theme park in Australia could also create new job opportunities for Australians, particularly in regional areas where the park is located. It could stimulate economic growth in the surrounding communities and provide a source of employment for locals, potentially reducing the need for them to relocate for work.
Furthermore, the unique characteristics of Australia and the potential for a different seasonal calendar could influence the types of roles and skills required. For example, beach-themed attractions and celebrations during the Australian summer could create new job opportunities and skill sets for staff.
In conclusion, the impact on staff of a Disney theme park in Australia would depend on a range of factors, including the availability of local talent, the location of the park, Disney's staffing approach, and the potential economic development in the surrounding region. While there may be challenges in attracting and retaining staff due to the remote location and limited talent pool, the establishment of a Disney park could also create valuable job opportunities and skill enhancement for Australians.
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The competition
Disney is a diversified media and entertainment powerhouse, with its reach extending beyond entertainment to travel and tourism, theme parks, streaming services, and merchandising. As a leader in the theme park business, Disney faces competition from other theme park operators. However, its main competitors are in the film and television business, where it produces films and television shows and owns and operates stations in major US metropolitan centers.
Disney's key competitors in the film and television sphere include Comcast, which owns major names like Universal, DreamWorks, and Universal Television, as well as NBCUniversal, which includes CNBC and MSNBC. Amazon Prime Video, which began streaming TV and film content in 2006, is also a competitor, with over 200 million Prime members worldwide and a 2021 revenue of $469.8 billion. Netflix is another rival, particularly after Disney's acquisition of Hulu in 2019, which aimed to challenge Netflix's dominance.
In the theme park business, Disney owns and operates four major parks in the United States, including the popular Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot, as well as two water and sports-related parks. It also runs parks in Europe and Asia, for a total of 12 global theme parks. While Disney is a leader in this industry, it still faces competition from other theme park operators.
Additionally, Disney competes with other vendors in the consumer products space, involving licensing, publishing, and retail. According to Market Realist, Disney considers itself the largest worldwide licensor of character-based merchandise.
Disney's decision-making is influenced by financial considerations, and the company has been resilient in dealing with competitors, taking them out when necessary.
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Frequently asked questions
A Disneyland in Australia would be a good idea because it would give Australian residents a chance to visit a Disney park multiple times in their lifetimes without having to spend a fortune flying to another country.
Melbourne has been floated as a good spot to build a Disneyland due to large underused plots in the Docklands near the Yarra River, in very close proximity to the CBD, similar to Tokyo Disneyland.
No, there has been no official confirmation from the Walt Disney Corporation on a Disneyland in Australia.
